Quick PC Fixes

Our answer man provides fast, practical solutions to seven problems that put users at odds with their PCs. On this page, he addresses the delicate task of removing important files from a malware-infested flash drive without transferring the aliens too. He also identifies the steps involved in adjusting the settings for the Recent Documents list in Windows' Start Menu, and reviews techniques for identifying third-party cookies in Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Is there a way to get valuable documents off a virus-infected flash drive?

Muhammad Salau, Lokoja, Nigeria

What a problem! It's scary just to plug in such a drive. Since most malware is operating system-specific, it's a good idea to perform the file retrieval on a non-Windows computer, such as a Mac or a Linux machine. For an easy and safe way to boot Linux on your own PC, browse to my Answer Line column "How Can I Tell if My PC Has Caught a Virus" and scroll to the subhead "Boot Without Windows."

If you must plug the flash drive into a Windows PC, do it very carefully. Before you attach the infected file, update Windows itself and all of your security programs. Next, unplug all of your Internet and local network connections, so your computer can't communicate with the outside world.

Now turn off AutoPlay for your flash drive. Windows XP users should do this with Tweak UI, a free Microsoft Powertoy. Once you've installed and opened Tweak UI, navigate its left pane to My Computer•AutoPlay•Types. Uncheck Enable Autoplay for removable drives, and click OK or Apply.

If you use Vista, click Start, type autoplay, and press ‹Enter›. For 'Software and games', select Take no action and click Save.

Plug in the drive and move the files you need onto another removable storage device (not your hard drive). The documents themselves could be infected, so move only the ones you're sure you can't do without to a folder on the removable medium, and scan that folder with every security program you have.

Finally, shut down the PC, remove and throw away the flash drive, plug the PC back into the network, and reboot.

Always be mindful of Spector's First Law of Safe Computing: Never rely on one copy of anything. If you had made backups of those important documents before the infection, you could have thrown the unclean flash drive away at the first sign of disease.

How do I control the Start Menu's Recent Documents list?

Keith Kushnir, Provo, Utah

To turn this list on or off, right-click the Start button, select Properties, and click the Start Menu tab. In XP, click Customize•Advanced, check or uncheck List my most recently opened documents, and click OK twice. In Vista, check or uncheck Store and display a list of recently opened files, and click OK.

It's trickier to set the maximum number of items that the list can display. The following works only for Administrator accounts, and you should do it only after backing up the Registry. For instructions, go to my Answer Line tip "Block Spying Cookies, but Keep the Helpful Ones" and scroll down to the sidebar "Back Up the Registry in Windows XP and Vista."

In XP, select Start•Run, type regedit, and press ‹Enter›. Navigate the left pane to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. Select Edit•New•DWORD Value. Name the new value MaxRecentDocs. Press once to save the name and again to edit the value. For the Base, select Decimal. Enter the desired number, and click OK. Close the Registry Editor, and reboot your PC for the change to take effect.

In Vista, select Start, type regedit, and press ‹Enter›. Navigate the left pane to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies. If this folder doesn't already have an 'Explorer' subkey, select Edit•New•Key; name the key Explorer; and press ‹Enter›. With the Explorer key highlighted, select Edit•New•DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new value MaxRecentDocs. Press once to save the name and again to edit the value. For the Base, select Decimal. Enter the desired number, and click OK. Close the Registry Editor, and reboot to implement the change.

Bonus tip: For a better look at your recent documents, try Flexigensoft's free ActualDoc. The program lets you filter the Recent Documents list by file type or date, go to the folder that houses the document, and secure the list. The Pro version (priced at €20) includes file viewers, custom categories, and search.

How do I identify third-party cookies?

Jon P. Lorbach, Blue Ash, Ohio

As I explain in my tip "Block Spying Cookies, but Keep the Useful Ones," most of the cookies that violate your privacy are owned not by the sites you visit, but by advertisers.

Internet Explorer doesn't providea good way of identifying these third-party cookies, but Mozilla Firefox does. If you're concerned about controlling cookies, Firefox is the better choice, anyway.

In Firefox, select Tools•Options•Privacy•Show Cookies. Close the Options dialog box, but keep the Cookies window open. Choose a cookie to read its details, including the domain that owns it and when it expires.

To see what site is placing third-party cookies, clear your cookies, but keep the Cookies dialog box open and visible as your surf. The cookies placed there by the current page will appear at the bottom of the list.